Air treatment device



-P 1952 w. H. HAI JLENBEEK ET AL 2,611,679

7 AIR TREATMENT DEVICE Filed May 19, 1944 III II Ql 1'' l Patented Sept. 23,1952

2 Ant TREATMENT nnvron Whyatt H. Haulenbeek and Willis F. Sanford, Lakewood, Ohio Application May 19, 1944, Serial No. 536,278

. 1 The invention relates in. general to air treatment devices and more particularly to air treatment devices for vacuum cleaners.

An object of the invention is to provide for treating the air which passes throughv a vacuum cleaner for killing air-borne bacteria.

Another object of the invention is the provision of mounting a germicidal lamp means within the casing of a vacuum sweeper, whereby the air which passes through the vacuum cleaner is treated for killing air-borne bacteria.

Another object of the invention is the provision of mounting the germicidal lamp means in the casing of a vacuum cleaner. intermediate the dust collection means and the motor driven fan. 1 Another object of the invention is to provide for mounting the germicidal lampmeans within an annular member which constitutes (a reii'ector for energy waves emitted by the germicidal lamp means.

' Another object of the invention is to. provide for energizing the germicidal lam-p means from terminals on the vacuum cleaner, which are adapted to be energized by a suitable source of current.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 shows a vacuum cleaner in which the invention may be incorporated; a

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the vacuum cleaner shown in Figure l, and

illustrates the therein and;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line 33 of Figure 2.

With reference to the drawing, the invention is illustrated as being incorporated in a cylindrical type of vacuum cleaner indicated generally by the reference character Ill. As illustrated, the vacuum cleaner comprises a hollow casing ll through which is mounted at one end a dust bag M and at the other end a motor l5 and a fan It driven thereby for drawing air through the hollow casing. Incoming air flows through a hose [2 which is connected through a removable end cap it which may be removed to gain access to the dust bag M. The air which is drawn through the hollow casing H flows through an air exit opening I! in rear of the motor I5.

In the intermediate portion of the hollow casing l l and between the dust bag [4 andthe motor invention being incorporated driven fan i6 is mounted a germicidal lamp for killing air-borne bacteria. which pass through the vacuum cleaner. As illustrated, the germ1- cidal lamp 20 may be of the type which 1s adapted 5 Claims. (Cl. 221-127) to be threadably connected within-a socket 23 supported by a bracket 22: which may be integral- 1y formed with an, outer annular member 2| which fits closely within the hollow casing l I. of the vacuum cleaner. The annulanmember 2i and the bracket 22 comprise a cup-shaped receptacle having a forward open end 25 through which air passes after flowing through a filter 21. The rear end; of the cup-shapedreceptacle which: comprises the bracket 22, is provided-with openings 26 for permitting the air to flow; therethrough. The germicidal lamp 26 may be energized by an electrical wire 24, which is connected to the terminals 28 of the vacuum cleaner, which in turn are adapted to be energized by a source of current by conventional cord and plug. The motor I5 is also energized from the terminals 28.

The annular 'member zi, the bracketZZ and germicidal lamp Zzii constitute a unit which may be slidably mounted in the casing and held against longitudinal movement therein by any suitable means. The annular member 21 constitutes a-reilector for energy waves emitted by the germicidal lamp means 28. whereby the amount of air which canbe disinfected by the lamp will be materially increased. Aluminum has been found to be a good reflector.

- The arrangement of the invention shown in Figures 2, and 3 may be incorporated in new vacuum cleaners as they are manufactured. The

flow of air through a vacuum cleaner is somewhat defeated by the dust bag and the fiber 21,

v and because of this reduced flow of air the germicidal lamp 20 is capable of killing the air-borne bacteria. In the event that the speed of the air is too fast, then additional germicidal lamps may be added to meet the requirement for killing substantially all of the air-borne bacteria as they pass through the vacuum cleaner. The germicidal lamp 20 may be of any well-known design for emitting energy waves which have the property of killing air-borne bacteria.

Although we have described our invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit and the scope of the inventionas hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vacuum cleaner having electrical terminals adapted to be energized by a source of cur-- rent and having a. hollow casing with dust collection means in one end and a motor and a fan driven thereby in the other end to drive air through the dust collection means in the casing, the improvement for treating the air, said improvement comprising germicidal lamp means,

bracket means for supporting the lamp means in the casing intermediate the dust collection means and the motor-driven fan, and means for energizing the lamp means and the motor from the electrical terminals.

2. In a vacuum cleaner having a hollow casing through which air passes, the improvement for treating the said air, said improvement comprising an annular member mounted in the casing, said annular member having open ends through which said air passes, germicidal lamp means, bracket means connected to the annular member for supporting the lamp means in the annular member, said annular member constituting a reflector for energy waves emitted by the lamp means.

' 3. In a vacuum cleaner having a hollow casing through which air passes, the improvement for treating the said air, said improvement comprising an annular member mounted in the casing, said annular member having open ends through which said air passes, germicidal lamp means, bracket means connected to the annular memher for supporting the lamp means in the annular member, said annular member constitutin a reflector for energy waves emitted by the lamp means, said annular member, bracket means and lamp means constituting a unit which may be slidably mounted inthe casing.

4. In a vacuum cleaner having electrical terminals adapted to be energized by a source of current and having a. hollow casing with dust collection means in one end and a motor and a, fan driven thereby in the other end to drive the air through the dust collection means in the casing, the improvement for an air treating mechanism, said improvement comprising an annular member mounted in the casing intermediate the dust collection means and the motor driven fan, said annular member'having open ends through which said air passes, germicidal lamp means, bracket means connected to the annular member for supporting the lamp means in the annular member, said annular member constituting a reflector for energy waves emitted by the lamp means, and means for energizing the lamp means and the motor from the electrical terminal.

5. In a vacuum cleaner having electrical terminals adapted to be energized by a source of current and having a hollow casing with dust collection means in one end and a. motor and a fan driven thereby in the other end to drive air through the dust collection means in the casing, the improvement for an air treating mechanism, said improvement comprising a reflector member mounted in the casing intermediate the dust collection means and the motor driven fan, said reflector member having open ends through which said air passes, germicidal lamp means, bracket means connected to the reflector member for supporting the lamp means in the reflector member, and means for energizing the lamp means and the motor from the electrical terminals.

WHYATT H. HAULENBEEK. WILLIS F. SANFORD.

REFERENCES crrun The following references are of record in the flle of this patent: 1

UNITED STATES PATENTS Food Industries, June 1936, pages 295-297, article by James. a 

1. IN A VACUUM CLEANER HAVING ELECTRICAL TERMINALS ADAPTED TO BE ENERGIZED BY A SOURCE OF CURRENT AND HAVING A HOLLOW CASING WITH DUST COLLECTION MEANS IN ONE END AND A MOTOR AND A FAN DRIVEN THEREBY IN THE OTHER END TO DRIVE AIR THROUGH THE DUST COLLECTION MEANS IN THE CASING, THE IMPROVEMENT FOR TREATING THE AIR, SAID IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING GERMICIDAL LAMP MEANS, BRACKET MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE LAMP MEANS IN THE CASING INTERMEDIATE THE DUST COLLECTION MEANS AND THE MOTOR-DRIVEN FAN, AND MEANS FOR ENERGIZING THE LAMP MEANS AND THE MOTOR FROM THE ELECTRICAL TERMINALS. 